Detroit-based material science company Heartland has announced the launch of a new textile business unit in India, aimed at increasing the use of hemp fabric across the wider textile and apparel supply chain. The company plans to promote greater adoption of hemp fibre while also helping to lower emissions within manufacturing processes.

By setting up a yarn and fabric supply chain in India, Heartland aims to make its hemp-based fibres, yarns and fabric blends more accessible to the local market. The company believes this move will improve supply efficiency and support wider use of hemp textiles in India’s manufacturing sector.

According to the company, hemp fibre offers strong performance benefits. It is naturally durable, highly breathable and resistant to ultraviolet damage, making it suitable for a wide range of textile applications. It also highlighted the environmental advantages of hemp cultivation. The fibre requires no pesticides, contains no microplastics and uses around 95 percent less water than cotton during growth.

At the time, Reformation’s senior director of sustainability, Carrie Freiman Parry, said the Beyond50 Denim project would allow brands to test and validate solutions such as hemp and green chemistry, helping move the denim industry toward a more sustainable future.